


Tangential Vectors

by Theobule (Saathi1013)



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Other, POV Male Character, POV Third Person Limited, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-19
Updated: 2016-05-19
Packaged: 2018-06-09 05:39:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6892336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saathi1013/pseuds/Theobule
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>So what if one of their former adversaries occasionally consults on crime-fighting now?  Stranger things have happened.</i>
</p><p> </p><p>Wherein Barry has dinner plans that he doesn't remember making with Iris - and with the last person he expects to see.</p><p>References episode 2x17, so spoilers through that.  Diverges from canon from there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tangential Vectors

The first sign that Barry’s changed the timeline is a chipper Hartley greeting him in the Cortex.  He thinks he does a good job suppressing his surprise, acting cool, as if nothing’s amiss, but only barely.  So what if one of their former adversaries is now a good guy who occasionally consults on crime-fighting?  Stranger things _have_ happened.

And continue to happen.

The second sign that things are different is a weary Eddie Thawne brightening when Barry enters the station bullpen that evening.  He stops in his tracks because Eddie’s smiling and crossing the room to greet him, and Barry’s not entirely sure he remembers how his knees are supposed to work right now.

“Hey,” Eddie says, and even the sound of his voice makes Barry swallow thickly.  “Are you okay, Barry? You look like you just saw a ghost.”

“I... uhhh,” Barry says, gesturing vaguely.  “Didn’t expect to see you here, that’s all.  Isn’t it late?  Shouldn’t you be, um, at dinner with Iris or something?” 

His shot in the dark must hit close enough to some kind of target, because Eddie’s frown smooths out.  “Yes, I should,” Eddie says, grabbing his coat.  “And so should you.  Thanks for coming to remind me.”

“Right, family dinner,” Barry says, voice faltering as Eddie’s hand lands on the small of his back while they both head to the elevator.

Eddie gives him a small smile and a sidelong glance.  “Family,” he echoes.  “I like that.”

 _Oh God_ , Barry thinks, _he and Iris are probably engaged by now in this timeline_.  He checks Eddie’s hand for a ring, in case he’s underestimating their progress, but no.  Small consolation.

It’s not that he isn’t glad Eddie’s (still?) alive (again?), because he is.  He doesn’t know how, and he doesn’t know why, but Eddie’s _there._  Relief and dread mix in equal amounts, churning in Barry’s gut.   _Does this mean Eobard is still around, or did we find some other way to defeat him?_

Barry keeps stealing glances over at Eddie, catching details he’d forgotten, like the mole on his cheek by his ear, or the pale gold of his eyelashes, or how the knot of his tie never sits straight.  Eddie catches him and gives him that smile; the whole elevator seems to slow down and shrink and Eddie seems way closer than he needs to be.

 _Crap_ , Barry thinks helplessly.  He’s going to remember how to get used to this, the pathetic dilemma of watching the two most attractive people in his life enamored with each other, oblivious to his presence.   _Does this Eddie know I’m the Flash?_ he wonders, considering making up a metahuman emergency.

As soon as they hit the ground floor, he darts out with regular human quickness, just in case.  “I’m, uh, gonna run to my place, get changed, I spilled some reagent earlier and I’m pretty sure the stain’s never coming out.”

Eddie waves him off.  “Take your time,” he replies.  “I know you’ll still beat me there.”

That answers _that_ question.  Barry nods and speeds off and spends five minutes in his apartment, staring at his closet and trying not to freak out.   _What else has changed?_ he wonders, then remembers that Google is a thing that exists.

Normal computers can't load fast enough to keep up with his reading rate, but Cisco's souped up his laptop with extra STAR Labs tech and then overclocked the resulting patchwork system, so ten minutes of searching gets Barry up to speed.  All of the changes are localized, from what he can tell, metahumans appearing in another order than he remembers, one or two caught earlier in their sprees, one or two later.  Iris' headlines are different, but the contents of her stories are roughly the same.

Harrison Wells has died-disappeared-confessed in this timeline, too, and Barry's dad is still freed.

Barry exhales, feeling a weight lift from his chest.  He doesn't know why Eddie is alive and Eobard dead, but he'll take the win.  Sometimes it's better not to examine a gift horse _too_ closely.  His phone chimes a reminder.   _Dinner with Iris and Eddie_ , it says, with a string of anxious emojis after it.

"Of course," he mutters, realizing he's going to be late.  He changes and rushes out the door, skidding to a halt at an intersection while he tries to remember their address.  A car alarm starts going as he takes off again, a little too hastily.

Eddie meets him in the lobby, giving his watch a significant look.  "How," he says, confounded.  " _How_ are you always late?"

Barry shrugs, hands in his pockets.  "It's a gift," he replies with a smile more relaxed than he feels.  They climb the narrow flight of stairs, and Eddie pauses in the hallway outside their door.

"Hey, Barry," he says.  "You seem nervous-"

"I'm not," Barry says, and Eddie appears unconvinced.

"You seem nervous," Eddie says again, "and that's _perfectly understandable_.  I'm..."  He takes a deep breath.  "To be honest, I've been thinking about this all week, wondering if it's a good idea, what happens next, how people will react-"

Barry stares at him, baffled.  "Um, okay," he ventures.  "Maybe I am slightly nervous, but... whatever happens next, I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

Eddie's answering smile is wide and bright, his eyes soft, and so Barry can't be blamed for being distracted when Eddie leans in and presses a careful, chaste kiss to his mouth.  Barry freezes in place.  Only the sound of a door opening jolts him out of his shock.

It's Iris.  "Hey!" Barry blurts, too loudly.  "This isn't-"

"Sorry," Eddie says, his hand still cupping Barry's elbow.  He doesn't sound apologetic.

"I was wondering what was taking so long," she says, a wry twist to the corner of her lips.  "C'mon, dinner's getting cold."

She isn't upset.  Had she not seen anything?  Why isn't she mad?

_Eddie kissed me._

Mutely, Barry follows them into the apartment to find that there's no one else there; the lights are dimmed, candles lit on the dining room table, which is set for three.  Iris kisses Eddie hello, and turns to Barry, looking shyly up at him through her lashes.  "Wanna even things out?" she asks.

"Well, I-" Barry says, and then she kisses _him_.  It's over before he can register it, but it's definitely more than friendly.  He glances at Eddie.

"Dinner first?" Eddie suggests.

"Good plan," Iris says.  "I ordered in from that new Indian place that Erin, the new restaurant reviewer, keeps _raving_ about.  I hope there's enough for you, Barry, I wasn't sure what your metabolism..."  She trails off, flustered.

 _She knows I'm the Flash_ , Barry thinks.   _She knows I'm the Flash and she kissed me and Eddie kissed me and I think she just made a_ sex _reference and --_ "Is this a _date?_ " he blurts, without thinking, and winces as soon as the words leave his mouth.

Eddie laughs out loud, then sobers when he realizes that Barry's not kidding.

"...yeah," Iris replies slowly.  "We asked you Tuesday, I thought we made our intentions clear...?"  She trades consternated looks with Eddie.

"You were... very enthusiastic at the time," Eddie adds.  "But if you're having second thoughts--"

"--absolutely," Iris chimes in.  "Like we said before, you can say no anytime, no hard feelings."  Barry sinks into the nearest chair and tries to process this.  Iris squats down next to him, eyebrows knit with worry.  "Bear-" she starts, reaching out to put her hand on his arm, and the diamond on her her engagement ring catches the light.

"I changed the timeline," he confesses, unable to meet her gaze.  "Earlier today.  I-- I'm not supposed to tell anyone anything I know from the other one or even that I did it, but I _changed_ things and... I don't remember you guys asking me out."  He huffs out a small, sad laugh.  "Which really sucks, now that I think about it."

Iris moves her hand, as if she wants to pull away but thinks better of it.  "You... went back in time?  Isn't that dangerous?"

"I had to," he says.  "And I'm all right, we're all... all right."  He lets himself look at Eddie, really _look_ , taking the opportunity in case he doesn't get it again, whatever the reason.

Eddie returns the stare, equally intent.  "I wasn't around in this other timeline, was I?" he asks, then holds up a hand.  "Right, right, you can't tell me, but -- you're not subtle, you know."

"How much else is different?" Iris asks.  "Not specifics, but... _magnitude_."

Barry runs a hand through his hair and rubs the back of his neck, ducking his head.  "Not a lot, I don't think.  We're not talking, like, goatees and crop tops here."  Iris tips her head.  "Star Trek," he explains.

"No, I remember," she says with a fond grin.  "You and Cisco had a marathon at the house last month."

He gives her a weak smile in return.  "Guess that's the same, too," he comments.

"Do you have to change things back?" Eddie says.  Barry frowns at him.

"I don't think so," he replies.  He really, _really_ hopes not.

Eddie shrugs.  "So you're stuck with me.  And if not much else has changed..."  He swallows hard, continuing, "...then you're still the same Barry Allen."

" _Our_ Barry Allen," Iris says.  "If you want to be."

"No rush, though," Eddie adds.  "This can simply be dinner, same terms as before: you can say no anytime, no hard feelings."

Barry laces his fingers together between his knees.  "I was always _yours_ ," he tells Iris.  "But if you're willing to share..."

Iris laughs out loud at that.  "I could be persuaded," she tells him.

It's as good an invitation as any.  Barry leans forward and she meets him halfway and it's a real kiss this time, unhurried and electric.  When they break apart, Eddie's drawn closer, as if he wanted a better vantage point.  His voice is lower, rougher, and it sends heat through Barry's veins when he says, "Wanna even things out?"

Barry would laugh if he wasn't otherwise occupied.  Eddie's kiss is less careful this time around, and not even a little chaste.  

"Dinner first," Iris reminds them.  

Eddie offers her a hand up, and she takes it.  He doesn't let go once she's standing, pulling her in for the same treatment Barry had just gotten.

Barry's pulse picks up at the sight, but it doesn't stumble or falter like it used to.  They know he's there; they _want_ him there.  He could reach out and touch them and they would welcome it.

"You sure about that?" Eddie asks Iris when they're done.  Her eyes are slightly glazed.

"Yeah," she says, sounding breathless.  "But let's make it quick."

They both look down at Barry.  "No head starts," Eddie says, mock-sternly.

"I wouldn't _dream_ of it," Barry replies, getting to his feet.  Iris offers him her other hand and he takes it, and they all head over to the table.  Their food's not hot anymore, but it's still as good as promised.

And besides, they all have a lot of talking to do, to catch Barry up to speed.

 

 

\- end -

**Author's Note:**

> I may write more, I may not; I just had to get this plot bunny out of my head.


End file.
